and have been scoring really well,” say Salay. “I know the girls have high expectations after last year’s success and I think they understand it takes hard work and commitment to duplicate or improve on last year’s season.”

A native of Apple Valley, Minnesota, Salay enters his 5th season as Head Coach and expects 15 to 20 girls on the team this year. “When I first started we only had a handful of golfers in the program so we are really happy with the increased numbers.” Salay also credits Assistant Coach Darren Reiter as an integral part of a program that has been recently on the rise not just in the Middle Border, but around the state of Wisconsin as well.

Salay is no stranger to coaching golf. The University of Minnesota-Duluth alumnus is also the Head Boys Coach at Park High School. Reiter also assists him at the Minnesota School where the two of them have built a program with anywhere from 40-50 boys hitting the links each spring. “Darren and I have a very good relationship and work well together,” says Salay. “Having that kind of familiarity with each other has really been beneficial and we have tried to bring the same kind of energy and enthusiasm to the Prescott program.”

Last year Prescott finished second to New Richmond in the Middle Border Conference, but hopes to challenge for the league title this year. “We have to find a way to replaceAlexis Fredericks who had a great senior season. But we feel pretty good about the number of experienced golfers we have coming back,” says Salay. “New Richmond and St. Croix Central also return some very talented golfers so we will have our work cut out for us.”

Among those returning is sophomore Ava Salay, who last year was named to the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin Girls' All-State Second Team. The talentedAll Conference 10th grader will be joined by returning letterwinners Liz Rohl, Finley Magee, Lindsay Olson, and Jessica Heinsch making the Cardinals one of the favorites in challenging five-time Conference Champion New Richmond for the Middle Border Conference title.

“We have about a dozen girls that have been playing since April,” says Salay and all of them have hopes to participate in varsity meets this season. The competition we will have in practice will only make them and the whole team better.”

And after last year’s success the 2020 Cardinal golf team is focused on just that – getting better. “We have high expectations this year,” says Al-State golfer Ava Salay. “We want to win the conference championship and a state title.” All of her teammates concur. “Last year was such a great experience for all of us and finishing as the State Runner Up was so much fun, but I think we want a little bit more,” says junior Liz Rohl.

“I think we all know that we have to improve in order to accomplish those two goals,” says sophomore Lindsay Olson. “I have got to shoot consistently in the 40’s and improve my shots off the tee with my driver.”

“It’s all about improving my putting,” says 10th grader Rhianna Stutz. “For the team this year we have to maintain a level of consistency in our games if we want to improve on our finish a year ago.”

Along with the physical aspects of the game Coach Salay and his charges recognize the importance of the mental part of the game, the psychology of the sport of golf. As golfing legend Bobby Jones famously said, “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-ahalf- inch course… the space between your ears.” And when it comes to high school golf those words certainly apply.

“We work a lot of with the girls on the importance of developing a routine and relying on that routine while they play a round,” says Salay. “Wespendalotoftimethinkingabout the next shot,” says his daughterAva. “Those negative thoughts can really create problems so learning to handle those tough shots or days on the course is very important.” The All-Conference 10th grader relies on past experiences to help her “get through” a tough shot. “Of course you are going to hit bad shots and it is important that you respond as positively as possible in order to move on.”

“When it comes to teaching the mental part of the game our coaches are great,” says Finley Magee. “Coach Salay and Coach Reiter are always so good at saying something positive during tough times and they are great at making us smile.”

Liz Rohl concurs. “They are always so positive and I think it really helps all of us relax while we are playing.”

“It is really important not to fall into the trap of negative talk while you are playing. If you do that your round can really go downhill,” says Ava Salay.

As the season fast approaches players have been practicing as they prepare to unseat Middle Border Conference Champion New Richmond and work to advance to the WIAA State Tournament for the second consecutive year. Quite impressive for a group of golfers relatively new to the game.

“My 9th grade year was the first time I picked up a club in my life,” says Liz Rohl. Other than Ava Salay, Magee, Olson, and Stutz have been golfing competitively for two years. “I think it is really cool to be part of establishing a strong girls golf program here in Prescott,” says Rohl.

Each golfer has their strengths. For Rohl and Magee it’s the driver, Olson and Stutz it’s the low irons, and for Salay it’s the chipping game. But most importantly each recognizes the importance of a team mentality when it comes to reaching the lofty goals these golfers have established heading into this season.

“Last year was so much fun because it was a shared experience,” says Ava Salay. “Over the years my competitive play has been based on my individual play. Last year was the first time I played golf that was a team effort and it was so much fun.”

Like their Head Coach, team members identify New Richmond and St. Croix Central as the two teams they believe will challenge them for the conference title. “New Richmond has won the conference a few times in a row and St. Croix Central has some good golfers too,” says Liz Rohl.

Next week members of the 2020 Cardinal girls golf team will head to the driving range and the putting greens. They will chip from the bunker and pitch from the rough. They will drive from the tee and and tap-in a gimme. They will walk the ourse at Clifton Highlands and the links of the New Richmond Golf Club, hoping the fast approaching 2020 season brings even more excitement, even more success for them this fall.

The team opens its season on August 24th at Pheasant Hills Golf Course in Hammond, Wisconsin. The Cardinals will tangle with Amery, Baldwin-Woodville, Ellsworth, New Richmond Osceola, Somerset, and Saint Croix Central.